


Things Said and Unsaid

by trepkos



Category: Arthur of the Britons
Genre: Angst, Jealousy, M/M, Oral Sex, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2016-04-22
Packaged: 2017-10-11 23:57:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/118571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trepkos/pseuds/trepkos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kai makes a mistake; Arthur is jealous.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Things Said and Unsaid

**Author's Note:**

> Begins towards the end of episode 1.9: "Enemies and Lovers"

“Why did your people attack my village?”

Tarn trembles at the point of Arthur’s sword. 

“It was Morcant”, he says, glancing around, as if he fears to speak the name. “Ever, in furthering his own ends, he leads us into strife. And never honestly, but always striking like a snake.”

Arthur lowers his weapon from the young man’s throat. “That snake’s head has been cut off. My man, Kai, killed Morcant this day.”

Tarn’s eyes widen. He takes a deep breath, then falls to his knees.

At first, Arthur thinks him merely overcome with relief, but then, the way Tarn tilts his head tells its own sickening tale. 

Anger boils in Arthur’s breast. “Get up!”

Tarn scrambles to his feet. He waits, clasping his hands together.

“From now on, you kneel to no man – unless by your own choice.”

“Morcant always –”

“I am not Morcant. How can you lead these people on your knees?”

Tarn blinks, as if he’s wondering whether Arthur’s lost his mind. “I don’t expect to lead them at all. The king, my grandfather, says I’m too young.” He shrugs hopelessly. “There’ll be another regent, just like Morcant. And he’ll put me to the sword when the king dies, if I can’t get away.”

“Then you must swiftly prove you’re fit to rule, despite your youth.” Arthur paces the hut. “You must convince King Athel, and your tribe. Can you defend yourself?”

“I’ve had some lessons. And I had a sword, but Morcant –”

“Morcant took it,” Arthur finishes for him.

He sighs, draws his own short sword, and offers Tarn the hilt. “Take this. In a few days, I’ll send Llud, to see how things are working out. He may receive a fairer welcome than I, from King Athel. He can advise you – give you expert weapons training.” He slaps Tarn on the back. “The rest, you’ll have to do yourself.”

“Thank you!” 

Tarn looks as though a weight has been lifted from his shoulders, rather than set upon them.

As Arthur stands ready to leave, he adds, “King Athel has the love of these people – that much is clear. It is up to you to earn their respect.”

Tarn nods. “Thank you, again. I’ll try.”

~~

When Tarn emerges from the hut, he finds his grandfather – his king – still slashing wildly at the empty air, even as Arthur disappears into the distance.

This is the worst it’s been.

Tarn gestures to the villagers, and gathers them around him; clears his throat. “As you can see, King Athel is unwell.”

~~

A new air of confidence pervades King Athel’s village, but some things haven’t changed. The feasting tables still groan under the weight of boar, pheasants, partridges, hares, apples, quinces, pears, and all manner of desserts, and – just like the first time they sat in this hall – the mead and Adder’s Sting still flow just a little too freely.

Arthur waves a chicken leg in the general direction of the young king-in-waiting. “Since last we saw him, Tarn has gained both height and brawn.”

Kai pours another drink. “He wears his new authority well. But what of his grandfather?”

“Resting. Since he decided to leave the running of the village to Tarn, he’s been taking things a bit easier.”

Kai nods. “Good for him.”

A minstrel plucks his instrument. A woman rises from her seat, tosses hair like spun copper, and starts to sing.

Arthur nudges Kai in the ribs. “I hope that isn’t another old flame of yours.”

Kai’s mouth hardens, and Arthur wishes he could cut out his own thoughtless tongue. _He_ made Kai snuff that old flame out … 

“Kai, I’m –”

But Kai has already swept his cloak around him, and left Arthur’s side. He strides across the room, shoving his way through a group of young women. They cast admiring glances at him; Kai gives not one of them a second look.

This longhouse must be cursed – at least for him and Kai. If only the alcohol hadn’t loosened his tongue … 

Still, Arthur drains his mug of mead, and pours another, drowning his sorrows, and wishing hell would take the minstrel and the red-haired girl, just to stop them singing songs of broken hearts.

Then Kai appears, framed in the doorway, and Arthur’s heart lifts. But Kai doesn’t even look his way. Instead, he finds a seat across the room, and Tarn – an attentive host – goes to sit beside him. Soon, the two of them are engaged in lively conversation.

Arthur feels his guts clench. He turns deliberately towards the man beside him – Tarn’s second-in-command – and starts a discussion on ambush tactics.

By the time he looks again, Kai’s nowhere to be seen.

~~

As Arthur trails miserably back to the hut where they’re to spend the night, he sees two figures in the flickering torchlight. Kai, leaning against a wall, his head hanging forward; his long fingers tangling in the young king’s hair. 

Arthur remembers his advice to Tarn: “You kneel to no man – unless by your own choice.”

Kai clenches, jerks once, twice, and then looks up.

Their eyes meet. 

Arthur turns away.

~~

At least he’s managed to find the right hut to stumble into.

Arthur comes towards him, and stands in his way.

Kai shrugs, and looks anywhere but at Arthur. “What?” 

Arthur puts a hand on Kai’s cheek, making him meet his gaze. “What, indeed?”

Kai sees cold rage in Arthur’s eyes. The world begins to sway; he nearly falls, but grips Arthur’s forearm.

Arthur shrugs him off, shaking his head like a village gossip. “What do you think you were doing? This boy is trying to lead his people, and you –”

“Oh!” Kai laughs bitterly. “’S that’s what this is about?” He lifts his chin. “I thought you’d approve. I was forging alliances – like you do, with the fair Rowena.”

Arthur breathes in sharply through his nose. “You know Rowena means less to me than thistledown.”

Kai feels his face slide into a lop-sided grin. “I’ll be sure to mention it to her.”

“Do as you please. But if it pleases you to give yourself to another man –”

“I didn’t _give_ myself …” 

Kai frowns at Arthur’s back; at his fists, clenching by his sides.

Why is Arthur so angry? Just a one-night affair, like any other … not even the whole night, like when he takes a woman to bed.

… but Tarn … 

Arthur saw him with his cock in another _man’s_ mouth. If he’d seen Arthur that way ...

Suddenly Kai isn’t nearly drunk enough. He reaches out for Arthur, but he misses, and, with no great effort, Arthur shoves him to the ground.

“Arthur …”

Kai struggles to his feet, and takes a step towards him, but Arthur turns away in stony silence, throws himself on the bed, and turns to face the wall.

Kai dares say nothing more. He lies down on his own bed, staring at the thatch, while tears roll down the sides of his face, and into his ears.

~~

They return home in silence.

For three days they do not speak – Arthur refuses to hear him speak – aside from, ‘The sentries are posted’, ‘I fetched in more firewood’, ‘Llud needs you at the forge.’

Bare practicalities.

Each grey, joyless morning, Kai wakes without Arthur’s hand upon him. His world has ended. 

Somehow, the whole village seems to know that Arthur has sent Kai from his side. The men look pityingly upon him, and obey his orders slowly, if at all. Some of the women offer themselves. Kai turns them down.

Every day, morning and night, Kai comes – head down, axe in hand, his thumb fretting at the haft – to Arthur’s door.

Arthur turns him away without a word.

For three days and three nights, Kai lives like a monk.

A monk with an axe.

On the fourth day, the Picts come down on them again, and Kai fights like a man more berserk than they. He kills fifteen in one skirmish.

Again, Arthur turns him away, and Kai must either leave, or go insane.

On the fifth day, Kai rises from his pallet, in the hut where he has slept alone, and starts packing his few possessions. 

The door opens. Kai’s heart jumps in his chest, to see Arthur standing in his doorway.

“I miss you,” Arthur says.

Hope rising, Kai takes a step towards him. “I miss you too.” He reaches to touch Arthur’s shoulder.

Arthur knocks his hand away. “I miss you, but I won’t tolerate you whoring yourself, like a camp follower.”

Kai flinches. “I was not –”

“I won’t share you with any other man – do you understand me, Kai?”

“I understand you.” Kai ducks his head. “I didn’t think … didn’t know. Now I do. Please, Arthur – give me another chance.” Again, he moves towards Arthur.

“Later.” Arthur steps back. “Come to me again at dusk.”

Kai’s heart starts thumping wildly. “At dusk then.”

He goes down to the river to bathe.

~~

As dusk falls, Kai stands waiting just outside the door to the sleeping area from which he has been banished for the last eternity.

Arthur comes to the door. “I owe you an apology – for the unkind remark that sent you from my side, that night at Athel’s village.”

Kai shakes his head, astonished. “It’s forgotten.”

Arthur holds out a drinking horn. “Will you drink with me?”

Kai has already had a drink or two, to give him courage, but he comes inside, accepts the horn, takes a long drink, and, letting their fingers touch, passes it back.

Arthur drinks, keeping his eyes locked with Kai’s. Then he asks, “Are the sentries at their posts?”

Kai nods briefly. “I went down to the river –”

“I too.” Arthur takes a step towards him.

Kai’s heart speeds up. 

“I will give up Rowena, if you wish it.” Arthur looks seriously at him. “If it disturbs you.”

“Rowena?” Kai sniffs. “She who means no more to you than thistledown?”

“Nothing more.”

Kai shakes his head. “I like her. She has fire in her belly.” He drops his gaze. “And I was forging no alliance with that stripling Tarn. He asked about how I killed Morcant. When I had told the tale, he wanted to thank me for saving his life. I was drunk, and lonely. And I was weak.” Kai sways on his feet. 

Arthur cocks his head. “You seem a little drunk, even now.”

“I am a little drunk,” Kai admits. “And still lonely.”

Arthur gives a half-smile. “And still weak? Perhaps you should sit down.”

“Perhaps I should.”

Kai doesn’t know what game this is, but he’ll gladly play by Arthur’s rules. He crosses the room, and sits down on the bed, and – to his great surprise – Arthur folds to his knees before him.

Kai shakes his head. “No, do not kneel to me. I was the one at fault.”

“It’s not a question of fault.” Arthur looks up into his eyes. “I missed you.”

~~

With fingers and thumb, Arthur traces the outline of Kai’s length, from root to tip.

A whimper comes from Kai’s throat.

Kai is big – there’s no denying it. Arthur bites his lip. Since he saw Tarn kneeling at Kai’s feet, he can’t stop thinking about taking Kai in his mouth; since he saw Kai come down the young man’s throat, he’s wanted, more than anything, to blot out Kai’s memory of that brief rapture.

He rubs his nose along Kai’s erection through the thin woven cloth of his breeches.

Kai gasps, and grips the edge of the bed. His knuckles whiten.

Arthur takes him out, and gently mouths the soft skin around the head.

Kai flexes and utters a low moan. “Arthur …”

Kai is thinking of him, not Tarn. Kai must keep thinking of him, and no one else. Another surge of jealousy sweeps through him, and Arthur takes Kai all the way in. 

~~

“Arthur …”

Something is wrong. Not that Kai isn’t enjoying this, but … Arthur’s life does not depend upon it. Gently, Kai lifts Arthur’s head from him. “Arthur?”

A fire of desperation burns in Arthur’s eyes. “Let me do this for you.”

“Tell me first – what troubles you?”

Arthur stares helplessly at him. His mouth moves, but no words will come.

Then Kai thinks about how this started. At last, he understands what Arthur has not been saying, yet still, Arthur wants him to hear it.

“Arthur, it’s alright. I won’t take another man to bed. I won’t let another man touch me again.” He tangles his fingers in Arthur’s hair, and looks into his eyes. “Nor any woman either. You have my promise.”

Arthur breathes a deep sigh. Then he closes his eyes, and lays his head on Kai’s thigh.

Kai smoothes his only love’s dark hair, and comforts him.

~~

**Author's Note:**

> First archived here: 18 September 2010.  
> Revised: 22 April 2016.
> 
> If you love this show, please join the [Arthur of the Britons Community](http://community.livejournal.com/arthur_britons/profile) on Livejournal.


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